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Poster clues

What if that castle is actually a fort? I mean, it seems like the trading post turns into that fortified thing, so why can't the forts - which, by the way, most people never build - turn into castles as time passes? Makes sense to me

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yeah. i was thinking maybe they could be the same fort improvement with era/civ flavors. or perhaps the forts give tourism boosts after they "turn into castles."

well, this speculation is at least a little less outlandish than my "coordinates" theory

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that this "fortified trading-post" is in fact related to the new trade route concept.

As others pointed out, protecting trade routes effectively with units migth eat up the gains of the respective route (at least to a certain extend).
While my speculation above (regarding how those improvements could work) are not very convincing, I had some new ideas in the meantime.

I feel, that trading units will have at least some defence against raiders. Maybe just as much as workers can defend themself when attacked.
What I can imagine are two possible game mechanics:
- a "traderoute-fortification-improvement" gives a bonus on this defence-ability, when built on a tile that lies on the trade route. This will count to the traderoute itself and will not be dependend on where the caravan unit actually is attacked. Multiple bonuses could very well stack to represent heavily guarded trade routes.
- a "traderoute-fortification-improvement" gives a bonus on this defence-ability, when the trading-unit is in its range (maybe 2 tiles).

I think, if this is not how the pictured building works, we should have something like this...

The Chateau de Chambord like building could be the new French UB, a unique palace with two GW slots to go along the UA...

I don't know what to think about the fact that they now change completely some UA by the way. I guess France left them no choice with the complete overhaul of the culture system and the deflation of culture output.

They seem more generic to me than a unique improvement for a specific Civ. I mean there are several on the poster so that would either imply that multiple Civs would be getting these unique improvements or one Civ would be getting a mass assortment. Both seem unlikely, so I'd guess they are available to all in some form.

I'm getting the feeling that France is getting a serious overhaul.
Now that two buildings from the poster seem to be tied to civs, does that mean the Motte&Bailley and the other unknown building are tied to new or old civs as well?

Makes me wonder, if this is truly a new French UI, which UU they'll cut. Probably the French Foreign Legion or they could cut both and give France completely new UU. Maybe a Chevalier to go with the Château.

I'm getting the feeling that France is getting a serious overhaul.
Now that two buildings from the poster seem to be tied to civs, does that mean the Motte&Bailley and the other unknown building are tied to new or old civs as well?

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Its a good question

Some people have been asking for an improvement of Denmark. Perhaps the Motte&Bailey will be incorporated into Denmark?

"The time for dawn has come, let us finish our work. Let us create those who are to feed and provide for us appear. Let man appear, let humanity exist on earth."

Some people have been asking for an improvement of Denmark. Perhaps the Motte&Bailey will be incorporated into Denmark?

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Ditching that stupid Norwegian Ski Infantry? One can hope. Though if they were going to change Denmark, I'd just assume they drop all pretenses of it being anything other than Vikings. Quick, which one of these is not like the other?